Structural Heart Program
The Structural Heart Program at the Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular
Institute offers innovative treatments and high quality care for patients
with heart disorders all within a state-of-the-art facility.
Our Program is comprised of a collaborative team of interventional cardiologists
and cardiothoracic surgeons, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment
of conditions affecting the valves and other vital structures of the heart.
Patients benefit from our personalized, coordinated care and comprehensive
range of treatment options.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Beverly Mendes,
ARNP, MSN, PhD, Program Coordinator, at 561.955.5467.
Innovative Techniques and Treatments
Advanced Percutaneous Left Ventricular Hemodynamic Support with Impella device
A left ventricular assist device that can provide hemodynamic support in
patients with decompensated heart failure with poor left ventricular function
undergoing high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention or who developed
cardiogenic shock after a myocardial infarction.
Atrial septal defect (ASD) repair
A hole in the wall that separates the top two chambers of the heart. This
defect allows oxygen-rich blood to leak into the oxygen-poor blood chambers
in the heart. ASD is a defect in the septum between the heart's two upper
chambers (atria). The septum is a wall that separates the heart's left
and right sides. Through a minimally invasive technique using a catheter
inserted through the groin into the heart and a plug, under X-ray/echocardiography
guidance, the hole can be closed.
Complex Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)
Percutaneous coronary intervention is a non-surgical procedure used to
treat narrowing of the coronary arteries of the heart. After accessing
the blood stream through the femoral or radial artery, the procedure uses
coronary catheterization to visualize the blood vessels on X-ray imaging.
After this, an interventional cardiologist can perform a coronary angioplasty,
using a balloon catheter in which a deflated balloon is advanced into
the obstructed artery and inflated to relieve the narrowing. Certain devices
such as stents can be deployed to keep the blood vessel open. Complex
interventions under hemodynamic support with the IMPELLA device can be
performed.
Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy Intervention
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a complex and heterogeneous disease
with different anatomical variants, physiologic manifestations and genetic
underpinnings. Even asymptomatic patients with HCM are at potential risk
for sudden cardiac death and require risk stratification and consideration
of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for primary or secondary
prophylaxis. Through surgery or a catheter-based intervention, an associated
intra-cardiac muscular obstruction can be corrected.
Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) repair
A hole in the wall that separates the top two chambers of the heart. A
PFO can only occur after birth when the foramen ovale fails to close.
The foramen ovale is a hole in the wall between the left and right atria
of every human fetus. This hole allows blood to bypass the fetal lungs,
which cannot work until they are exposed to air. When a newborn enters
the world and takes its first breath, the foramen ovale closes. When it
remains open, it is called a patent foramen ovale. Using a catheter, under
X-ray/echocardiography guidance, the hole can be closed.
Percutaneous Balloon Aortic and Mitral Valvuloplasty
Balloon valvuloplasty is a procedure that widens a heart valve that is
narrowed. During this procedure, a thin flexible tube called a catheter
is inserted through an artery in the groin and threaded into the heart.
When the tube reaches the narrowed heart valve, a balloon at the end of
the tube is inflated. The balloon widens the valve opening.
Percutaneous Paravalvular Leak Repair
A catheter is inserted into the femoral artery or vein in the groin. A
wire is guided through the catheter into the heart. A leak is identified
around a previously implanted artificial aortic or mitral valve. A special
catheter is used to place a closure device through the leak. The closure
device acts like a plug to stop the leakage.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
TAVR delivers an artificial replacement valve through a catheter inserted
through a small incision in the groin or between the ribs. The replacement
valve collapses to a very small diameter and is attached to a balloon
device. The new valve is then positioned inside the natural aortic valve,
inflated and pushes the faulty valve aside. The replacement valve begins
to function as soon as the balloon deflates to permit the flow of blood.
Complex TAVR procedures in failing surgical aortic and mitral valves are
also performed.
Read the press release
Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair with MitraClip® Therapy (TMVR)
The MitraClip procedure is a minimally invasive catheter-based therapy.
It is performed using venous access and real-time imaging, thereby avoiding
cardiopulmonary bypass. The MitraClip system utilizes a cobalt chromium
clip covered with a polypropylene fabric that grasps both the anterior
and posterior mitral valve leaflets, thereby reducing mitral regurgitation
(MR) by increasing the coaptation between the failing valve leaflets.